Quick and dirty update on State polls. You can check out the full data at Electoral Vote. Some of the important highlights to a massive amount of new polls

• Va is back to slightly McCain
• Pa. still a dead heat
• New Mexico is back to Barry
• Mac takes over Colorado
• Barry is losing ground in Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
• Mac lost some ground in Florida, West Virginia, Louisiana, and NC (though NC is still solidly GOP)
• NY is back to Barry by 12
• The Welfare State of Washington DC is massively Barry
• Barry lost a bit in Idaho Iowa, though still solidly Barry (woops, brain and fingers did not co-operate)

A big concern, and not just symbolically, is Illinois, Barack’s home state, of course. The margin has been slowly creeping closer, and, with the latest poll, Barry only leads by 6. This is a state that Kerry won by 10, Gore won by 12, Clinton won by 17 in ‘96 and 15 in ‘92. WIll Obama lose it? Probably not. But, if he pulls a Gore and loses his home state, very bad, since Illinois accounts for 21 electoral votes.

For the most part, I am ignoring most solidly blue or red states, especially if there is little change.

I tell ya, this has got to leave a mark

Sarah Palin bests Joseph Biden 47% to 44% in a hypothetical head-to-head match-up for the presidency, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone surve.

In a Biden vs. Palin race, 84% of Republicans and 16% of Democrats back the Alaskan, and 75% of Democrats and 13% of Republicans support the senator. Unaffiliated voters give Palin the edge 45% to 39%.

And, I understand that most people surveyed thought Biden was really cranky and crusty.

Speaking of polls

• It is dead even in Va. again
• Pennsylvania is a dead heat now (big!)
• Barry’s lead in Colorado is down to 1
• Ohio has stretched to McCain by 4
• Florida has stretched to Mac by 7
• Utah is still massively McCain
• And in New York (drum roll, please), Barry’s lead is down to 5 (B46-M41)

What desparate attack ad will Barry and Co. come up with next cause of this?

Is that possible? Is Massachusetts actually in play?

Responding to a recent poll showing presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s lead over presumptive GOP nominee John McCain in Massachusetts narrowing, Jeff Beatty, the Republican challenging U.S. Sen. John Kerry, predicted victory in both his race and for McCain in Massachusetts.

A 7News/Suffolk University poll released Monday showed Obama (Ill.) with a nine-point lead over McCain (Ariz.) - 47 percent to 38 percent. The last 7News/Suffolk University poll, released a month and a half ago, showed Obama leading McCain by 23 points, 53 percent to 30 percent.

I suppose people are really getting to know Barry.

(h/t Blogs For Victory thru Hub Politics)